Flashlight type fuse tester



June 15, 1954 T. s. PALMER FLASHLIGHT TYPE FUSE TESTER Filed Dec. 31, 1952 INVENTOR THOMAS S.PALMER ATTORNEYS Patented June 15, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLASHLIGHT, TYPE FUSE TESTER Thomas ,S. Palmer, Milwaukee, Wis.

Application December 31, 1952, Serial No. 329,038

1 Claim. 1

., This invention appertains to an improved flash light and tester combined and more particularly .to certain improvements in flash light testers of the kind used by electricians for testing fuses, lights and circuits.

A primary object of my invention is to provide a fuse testing device which may be incorporated in the conventional standard type flash light without interfering with its functions as a flash light in any manner.

Another important object of my invention is to providea flash lighttester which is capable of testing fuses of various sizes and lengths by merely holding the fuse in electrical contact with certainparts of the device.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed which may be combined with the conventional head portion of a flash light so that a fuse or bulb may be tested by simply placing one terminal thereof against a contact and the other terminal thereof against the casing of the flash light, the flash light bulb lighting if the fuse or bulb being tested is in good working order.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a tester of the character described which has its testing connections and other electrical parts so arranged that when thedevice is put in a tool box or in contact with other metallic objects, saidconnections will not cause a short circuit.

A more specific object of my invention is to provide a sliding contact in the head portion of the light which may be pushed into an inoperative position or pulled out to an operative position whereby a fuse or bulb may complete "a circuit through the light and battery when one portion of the fuse is placed against the casing and the other end against said contact.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a simple, practical, and reliable construction that is economical to manufacture, easy to assemble, and positive in its operation.

With the above'and other objects in View, which will more readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts which will hereinafter be more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred andpractical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

.Figure 1 is a side elevational view in section of "my combined flash light and tester illustrating in full lines the inoperative position of the slid- 2 ing contact and showing in dotted linesthe operative position of, the sliding contact when testing a fuse of the cartridge type;

Figure 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figurellooking .in the direction of the arrows and also illustrating by full and dotted lines, the, operative and inoperative position of my novel fuse tester;

Figure 3 is a horizontal sectional view similar to Figure 2 of the drawings, but showing in full lines my sliding contact in its operative testing position;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view through the upper portion of :the flash light and testing contact taken on the line 4-4 of Figure ,1 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure ,5 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view of my .testingdev-ice taken onthe line 55- 5 of Figure Zlooking in the direction of the arrows and illustrating further, details of the sliding contact;

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken through the flared head portion of the flash light with the, casing, reflector and bulb portions removed therefrom;

Figure 7 is a reduced elevationa'l view'of my combined flash light and novel fuse testershowing .in particularthe position of my sliding contact in relation to an exposed casing strip;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary side ele vational view showing my slidingcontact in its operative position for-testing a light bulb; and

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary view similar to Figure 8 of the drawing, but illustrating a manner of testing a fuse of the plug type.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, wherein similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, the letter C generally indicates one type of my improved combined flash light and tester and the same includes broadly a flash light Ill 'of a standard type having incorporated therein my novel testing and sliding contact II.

As stated, the flash light 10 forms no particular part of my invention and may be of any standard construction. However, I have shown and described my novel tester in conjunction with a flash light of the type including a casing I12, two batteries l3, an end closure l4 threadedly received on the casing 12 and a spring I 5 interposed between the bottom of the cap It and the batteries iii. The flash light 10 also includes a flaredhead portion l6 which threadedly receives, atone end, a portion of thecasing l2 and on the upper end, a cap I! and glass It. Also received in the flared head it is a bulb socket l9 and a light bulb 20.

To one side of the casing 12 is the flash light switch 2| which includes a button 22 and hand operated switch 23. A contact strip 24 stretches longitudinally on the inner side of the casing and is in contact with a conducting piece 25 which is, in turn, in direct contact with the bulb socket 19. The casing also carries an insulating strip 2G which normally separates and insulates the contact strip 24 from the casing l2. There is also provided an upper insulating disc 2% which normally insulates contact 25 from the casing l2. Carried at the lower end of the socket I9 a bulb and battery contacting unit 2?. Therefore, when the hand operated switch 23 is actuated or button 22 depressed, a circuit will be completed through the switch 2 i casing l2, contact strip 24, conducting piece 25, socket l9, contact unit 2], batteries 13, and the bulb 29 will light.

All of the above constitutes a conventional construction for flashlights and in the preferred em bodiment of my invention I incorporated my novel sliding contact in the flared head portion I6. In my invention I provide the head It with a pair of insulating discs 28 and 29 which are riveted or otherwise secured together by means of the rivets 30. The lower disc 28 rests on the upper flange 3! formed above the lower threaded portion and the upper disc 28 is anchored in place by means of spaced angular brackets 32 which are welded or otherwise secured to the flared head it just below the upper threaded portion.

The upper and lower insulation discs 28 and 29 respectively are each formed with a central aperture to receive the socket is of a bulb 20. The lower disc intermediate its ends is provided with a substantially rectangular recess or slot 33 in its upper surface and the under surface of the upper insulation disc 28 is provided with pairs of spaced indentations 34 for the reception of the struck. up portions 35 of the sliding contact ll.

As shown, the contact ii is slidably received in the elongated slot 33 and includes broadly an enlarged body portion 3 and a reduced outer end portion 3]. The outer end portion 3! is also provided With a depending contact surface 33. The enlarged inner portion 35 cf the contact II is provided with an enlarged substantially rectangular opening 39 of a greater width than the bulb socket l9 and one end All is provided with an arcuate opening which, in one position, may be brought in contact with the bulb socket l9.

\Vhen the sliding contact 3! is in its full lined position as illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and of the drawings, the bulb socket 19 will be entirely out of contact therewith (note more particularly Figure of the drawing).

Obviously, the casing it may be left in its plain metallic condition or the same may be painted as illustrated in Figure 7 of the drawings and indicated by the reference numeral ll. However, if the casing is painted, a strip 42 in alignment with the depending portion 33 of the contact H should be left exposed.

From the above it can be seen that the device may be used as a flash light by merely actuating the switch 2! to complete the circuit through the batteries 13, casing l2, contact strip 24, the conductive piece and socket [9 to light the bulb 2!]. When the device is to be used as a tester for fuses and light bulbs the sliding contact II is pulled outwardly to its dotted line position illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings and shown in full lines in Figure 3 of the drawings. In this position of the contact H, the arcuate portion 40 is resting against the bulb socket I9. Therefore, it is obvious that when a cartridge fuse F is placed with one terminal against the depending portion 38 of the sliding contact H with the other terminal against the exposed surface 42 of the casing 12, that a circuit will again be completed through the batteries l3, casing 12, fuses F, contact II and socket I9, to light the bulb 20. If, however, the fuse F is not in a good working condition, then the circuit will not be completed and the bulb will not light.

It is also readily apparent that my tester adapts itself to fuses and bulbs of various sizes and shapes. This is clearly illustrated in Figures 8 and 9 of the drawings, in which a light L and a fuse P of the plug type respectively, are being tested. If the fuses or light bulbs are defective, obviously current will not pass therethrough and the light 20 of the testing device will not light.

One of the primary disadvantages to prior flash light testers has been that they are often placed in tool boxes with other metal objects and if a contact is made between the casing and the tester contact, the bulb would light and the batteries eventually run down.

An important feature of my invention resides in the fact that my sliding contact ll may be pushed inwardly to its full lined position illustrated in Figures 1, 2, and 5 of the drawings so that the same is not in a closed circuit with the socket l9 and therefore a closed circuit cannot be made between the light bulb 2D and the batteries l3 when a metal object is touching the casing 12 and contact ll.

Changes in details may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of this invention, but what I claim as new is:

The combination with a portable flash light of the type having a casing, a flared head portion including a bulb and bulb socket, a light circuit, and a switch in the circuit having an operating button slidably mounted on the side of the casing intermediate the ends of the casing; of a fuse and lamp testing device including an insulated contact having an operative and an inoperative position slidably mounted in the flared head portion, said flared head having a transverse slot intermediate its ends through which one end of said contact extends, said contact having an enlarged inner body portion and a reduced outer portion with said inner portion being provided with a rectangular opening of a greater length and width than the diameter of the light bulb socket and through which said socket extends, and a depending contact portion on the outer end of said contact, said contact in its operative position only being in contact with the bulb socket in a closed circuit with the light circuit both in the on and in the off positions of the switch, whereby the lamp circuit is closed when the terminals of an operative lamp or fuse to be tested are brought respectively into contact with the casing and the sliding contact.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,128,810 Fortine Aug. 30, 1938 2,231,660 Carlotti Feb. 11, 1941 2,550,234 Duncan Apr. 24, 1951 

